


Insomnia's Last Aria

by trirocksalt



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cuddling, Cute, Fluff, Greek and Roman Mythology - Freeform, M/M, Promptis - Freeform, Siren, fins and shit, i dunno, maybe smut later
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-12
Updated: 2018-04-12
Packaged: 2019-04-21 20:22:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14292735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trirocksalt/pseuds/trirocksalt
Summary: Noctis doesn't know what he expects when he goes in for a usual day of studying, only to find that a new exhibit has opened.  What he finds, is a treasure.  The only problem is: the treasure is chained, in an aquarium, and he quickly realizes that only he can be the one to release the treasure to where it belongs.





	1. Intro

_"An aria is a self-contained expressive melody for one voice usually with orchestral accompaniment."_

 

There are many definitions for an aria, but I thought that this was fitting, considering that we have a wee Prompto as a Siren in this fic!

Hello, everyone! Thanks for coming back and reading my newest project. I figured I'd get this one pumped out before I start school this fall. Hopefully! 

Please enjoy!


	2. The New Exhibit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis meets the new addition to the exhibit, and he also discovers just how pretty the rare species is. Also, is it mentioned that the Siren is also an incredibly rare, and extinct, male Siren?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please enjoy the first chapter of my fun, weird idea. I'm taking some creative liberties here. :D

“Here again, Noctis?”

  
  
“Yeah,” Noctis agrees, smiling bashfully, as he leafs through his shoulder bag for his internship card.

  
  
“It’s your fourth time this week outside of volunteer hours,” the receptionist smiles.

  
  
“Yeah, well,” Noctis returns the grin, brandishing the card so the receptionist could scan him through the entrance gate.  “Guess when you study fish, you can’t stay away from places like this.”

 

“Well, be sure to check out the new exhibit on exotic marine species while you’re here.  It’s finished being built now.” There’s a buzzing sound, followed by a click, and slowly the gate creaks open, as the receptionist hands the card back.  Alongside his card is a pamphlet on said exhibit, which Noctis takes.

  
  
“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind.  Thanks.” As he tucks his card away, Noctis offers a small smile before stepping through the gate and into the aquarium.  

 

Being in the throes of his third year as a marine biology student, wasting most of his days between school and volunteering as a diver for school credits at the Insomnia Aquarium, Noctis doesn’t have a whole lot of time on his hands, as a rule.  Whenever he has the spare time, he comes to the aquarium to study, do homework or sketch idly in his notebook - the latter of which he’s doing today.

 

As such, he doesn’t always have time to check out the newer exhibits unless he’s actually working them, but something on the pamphlet catches his eye as he idly flips through it.

 

_ “Insomnia’s first Siren; come see this rare, melodic creature in our Exotic Marine Species Exhibit!”  _ the second page reads, right at the top.

 

“A Siren?” Noctis murmurs, brow quirking.  “When did we get a Siren?”

 

Insomnia is known to have many things, but it’s never had the most  _ spectacular _ display when it came to anything related to rare species.  Most of them go to Altissia, where the humidity, free-reign aquatic systems and open tanks are much more suited to the likes of these types of creatures.  They are also fairly finicky to deal with, more often than not, and they never last long in the dry, barren city of Insomnia, no matter how well they are treated.

 

Still, a Siren is a  _ very _ rare catch.

 

From what Noctis knows about these creatures, while they’re incredibly rare, they can be easy to find because they don’t drift too far from rocky shores.  He thinks it’s likely this particular Siren had been found along the shores of Altissia, or Caem, and he finds himself curious to learn more.

 

Originally, he’d planned to do some sketches by the octopus tanks, but this is too good to pass up, he reckons.

 

Besides, he’s more than caught up on his homework for the next few days, so there definitely isn’t any harm in checking out the new exhibit, just for a short time.

 

“Only for a few minutes,” Noctis tells himself as he makes his way down the winding halls, towards the other side of the aquarium, where the exotic species tanks are - except, he discovers, as he walks through the exhibit, that this elusive Siren is nowhere to be found.

 

“Excuse me,” Noctis calls to an employee, one he doesn’t recognize, as they’re exiting a door from one of the tanks.  “I’m curious to know where the exhibit for the Siren is?”

 

The associate gives him an annoyed look.  Noctis guesses he isn’t the first person to ask the guy this, just from the expression on his face, but the associate points towards the pamphlet in Noctis’ hand anyways.

 

“There’s a map on the back page of that pamphlet,” the guy says, holding his cross tone.  It’s fairly obvious still, but Noctis decides to say nothing on that. “If you follow the map down that hall,” he points behind Noctis, “... it’ll lead you straight to the exhibit.”

 

“Right, thanks,” Noctis acknowledges, eyes flickering down to the pamphlet, which he’s now turning over in his palm to look at the map.

 

The guy starts to turn away, but he doesn’t get far before Noctis lifts his head, pursing his lips in thought.

 

“One other thing -- why isn’t the Siren part of this exhibit?  It’s advertised as part of the exotic marine species, but it’s kinda weird to have it tucked somewhere else, don’t you think?”

 

“I guess they need a bigger tank or something.  I dunno,” shrugged the associate, turning away again.  Obviously, this sort of question is above his pay grade - or, at least, he acts like it is.

 

Noctis blinks.  “Alright, then.”

 

He glances back down at the map, following it all the way down the opposite hall, toward a more darker part of the aquarium that is still  _ technically _ part of the exotic species exhibit, though one definitely could question it with how far it is from the  _ actual _ exhibit.

 

Standing outside the large double doors is two associates, though they both are wearing a different uniform Noctis immediately recognizes as aquarium security.  On either side of them are two boxes, suspended up against the wall, filled with earplugs and earmuffs. Underneath those boxes are garbage cans, obviously for disposing the used items above them.

 

_ Makes sense, _ Noctis thinks to himself.   _ The song of a Siren is known as the song of death.  Guess they’ve got extra precautions on this one. _

 

“Coming to see the Siren?” questions one of the security guards, looking friendly enough, as he reaches into the box and extends a pair each of earplugs and muffs.  “Gonna need these.”

 

“Yeah - uh, thanks,” Noctis responds, taking the gestured items and begins to unwrap them from their packaging.

 

“We don’t recommend staying in there long-term.”  It seems they recognize Noctis, which isn’t all that weird.  He  _ does _ volunteer here and also spends most of his waking time here, if he isn’t at the university.

 

“Yeah?” Noctis questions, head tipping up in curiosity.  “Why’s that?”

 

The larger of the guards leans in, only a little, his arms folded across his chest.  “This is the first creature we’ve had that can talk. Even though you’ll be wearing these things, Sirens can entice you with more than just song, which might make you wanna take them off so you can listen.”

 

“... gotcha,” Noctis blinks.  

 

He doesn’t think he’ll do something like that, but he logs that tidbit of information away for now as he puts the plugs in and covers the rest of his ears with the earmuffs.

 

The guards let him through the large doors, and Noctis steps into a room dimmed with a dark blue light, giving it a sort of dark ambiance.  He’s not entirely enraptured by it though as he makes his way down the small flight of stairs, toward the aquarium. It’d been tucked behind a jut in the wall, so he couldn’t see it right away upon entering, but when he turns the corner, he’s met with an aquarium the size of his living room.

 

The first thing Noctis notices, as a diver, is that the tank’s been freshly cleaned, which is good, considering it’s a brand new tank.  It’s massive, though the water itself isn’t actually all that deep, only about three quarters,  _ maybe _ half way full.  There’s steep, jagged rocks lining the far wall, all the way to the centre, where one particular rock is sticking out of the water.

 

_ That _ is where Noctis finds himself staring right into the face of the Siren, and it’s not  _ at all  _ what he expects.

 

Mythology speaks of Sirens coming in the shape of half bird and half fish, or half human and half bird.  Sometimes even half human, half fish. Nine times out of ten, Sirens are female, and they’re the most beautiful humanoid creatures to roam the planet.

 

However, this particular catch doesn’t fall under what Noctis suspects to be normal, because it’s a male.  Male Sirens had gone extinct long ago, when the Astrals first walked Eos.

 

Or so he thinks.

 

Here sits one, though, defying the odds, and Noctis vaguely thinks he’s the most handsome looking creature he’s ever seen in his lifetime.  A weird thought to have about a fish, but he can’t deny what he sees before him.

 

He’s  _ definitely _ more surprised than he cares to admit.

 

The Siren is looking at him as he enters the observatory space, and Noctis’ immediately notices the two differently coloured eyes staring him down.  One of them is blue, the other orange, matching the bottom half of the Siren. 

 

The human part of the Siren is about as normal as one could expect, though Noctis is surprised by just how  _ young _ he looks.

 

He’s pale, with freckles smattered all over shoulders, chest, back and especially across the high cheek bones on his thin, slightly pointed face.  Lips are mostly full underneath a long nose, slightly rounded at the tip, as it connects to those cheekbones. Eyes appear almost half-lidded, though that is mostly due to heavy eyelids falling down just under a brush of blonde bang that swoops to the right.  The hair curls, just a little, in some spots, as it falls down into long bangs - one being longer than the other - on either side of his face, framing it.

 

His frame is fairly slender, too, with a slight bit of muscle lining the abdomen, and Noctis swears he can see gills just under the rib-cage and part way up the neck, too.

 

From the hips down there’s a long fish-like tail, like a merman, instead of human legs.  Most of it is orange, though the underbelly is a sort of sky blue, and there are small fins on either side, part way down the tail - a translucent light blue - with the end of it having massive, flowy, almost air-like tail-fins.  The orange and blue scales have a glitter to them as a result of the dim light shining down, catching Noctis’ eye every so often.

 

The worst part about all of it, though, is the shackle around the bottom most joint near the end of the tail, just above where the fins span out.

 

It really, honestly, makes him look like a prisoner - and the poor Siren must feel it.

 

There’s no mistaking how intently the Siren is staring at him, though, despite those unique eyes hiding behind the shadow of hair.  The look on the Siren’s face is uncertain; in return, Noctis offers a small, shy smile, in an attempt to quell the creature’s discomfort, but it earns him nothing.

 

Noctis begins to move around the observatory, trying to find a good angle to sit, though he does feel a little unnerved by the intensity of the gaze in which the Siren is holding on him.  

 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” Noctis says, a little too loudly, thanks to the earplugs, but the second he says it he realizes how silly it sounds.  There is absolutely no way Noctis could hurt the Siren, even if he tried. The jutted wall of the tank makes a wicked good barrier, and the glass lining the front sits between him and the Siren as added insurance.

 

Briefly, Noctis wonders if it’s soundproof glass or not, but the thought is quickly discarded in favour of settling down near the middle-front.  He sets his shoulder bag at his feet, commencing to digging his favoured notebook out and onto his lap, along with a pencil and a well used eraser.  Then, he spreads the notebook open across his thighs, turning a critical eye onto the giant expanse of the tank.

 

There’s a lot of small details in the backdrop of the tank, but mostly, it’s just natural coral reefs and bits of seaweed that line the sharp edges of rock.  Definitely a saltwater tank, with how vibrant the live reefs and plant-life are.

 

Noctis’ eyes fall over the Siren again, taking in his details with a keen eye, before dipping his head down to start sketching.  This certainly was a treat, having a real life Siren to reference from instead of a textbook or his own imagination. For a long time, Noctis cranes his head back and forth, looking up to capture more details, then down to inscribe them on the paper.

 

Quietly, the Siren sits upon that rock, staring Noctis down.  The one thing Noctis notices, though, is that the longer he sits here, simply drawing away, the less threatened the creature seems to appear.  His posture slacks a little, and he’s twisting his body a little to get a better look at what Noctis could possibly be doing.

 

Apparently no answers are yielded, because when Noctis goes to look up again after a long while of pondering over a detail on the page, the Siren has moved off the rock.  Now, he’s swimming at the very front of the tank, a hand pressed slightly against the glass. Curiosity written all over his face.

 

Noctis blinks.

 

For a moment, Noctis darts his gaze nervously from the tank over to the large double doors.  Then, he slowly stands, glancing back to the tank as he begins to approach it, also rather slowly, because the moment he starts to move, the Siren is startled.

 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Noctis says, stopping right in his tracks.  “I need you to go back up on the rock.”

 

When the Siren doesn’t move, Noctis points toward the rock he’d previously been sitting on.

 

In response to that, the Siren points at Noctis, though more specifically toward his notebook.  The expression on the Siren’s face is absolute curiosity, still, and it’s blossoming into something more.  Something seemingly raw.

 

Again, Noctis finds himself turning his gaze guiltily back to the double doors.  

 

The security guards warned him against getting too interactive with the Siren, yet here he is, inching closer to the tank, enticed by the urge to satisfy this creature’s curiosity.  The Siren came down from his rock to get a closer look at what is going, so it sort of feels wrong to Noctis to deprive him of that…

 

So, he takes a step towards the tank, then another, until he’s close enough that he’s pretty well face to face with the Siren.  All things considered, with a thick glass wall between them.

 

Noctis turns the notebook, showing the Siren the bit of artwork he’s been working on.  By no means is Noctis a professional artist, not even close, but he does consider himself well versed in the likes of anatomy, thanks to his science background.  During his years of university, it’s become something of a hobby to draw fish and other marine life as part of his study tools, and this Siren is no exception to that.

 

As he’s showing this rough sketch to the Siren, Noctis watches that face sort of contort from curiosity to absolute wonder as it’s pressed somewhat close to the glass, apparently to get a better look.  Immediately upon the Siren doing this, Noctis notices the sheer amount of freckles that speckle across the pale skin of this creature.

 

More details for the drawing, definitely.

 

The Siren looks at Noctis now, odd coloured eyes sparkling in awe, as his hand points back at himself.  Silently asking, “ _ Is this me?” _

 

Noctis smiles, understanding the gesture and responding with a small nod.  “This is you. I can’t quite get your scales to sparkle like they do with just pencil, but, maybe I can bring my ink and colour set next time.”

  
  
It occurs to Noctis, only briefly, that perhaps the Siren doesn’t know what either one of these things are.  Despite this, the Siren is nodding, and Noctis finds himself smiling a bit, though he quickly catches himself upon the realization that maybe this is what the guards warned him about.  He’s getting too close to the Siren, already.

 

Slowly, Noctis backs from the tank, withdrawing his book into himself and settles back down on the bench where he’d been sitting.  

 

Though he sees the confused look on the Siren’s face, he lays the notebook back onto his lap, smoothing the pages, while darting his eyes around, as if he’d been caught doing something bad when really, no one is watching.  No one can see what he’s doing. It doesn’t stop the rise of guilt coming into his throat, though, because he’d explicitly been told he shouldn’t engage with the Siren.

 

The curiosity is just as strong as the guilt, though, and Noctis knows this is dangerous.  

 

Instead of rushing out of there, abandoning all rhyme or reason, he pushes the feelings of guilt down, choosing to flourish in the curiosity instead.

 

It seems that the Siren senses this from him, and returns to his spot on the rock only after a moment’s hesitance.  Returning to his role as the subject for the human's sketch. 

 

Though he too, is just as curious, about this strange little human, whose eyes twinkle like the night’s sky, as he scribbles away the hours in front of his tank.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> You can find me on various social medias, such as @trirocksalt on Twitter and @trirocksalt on Instagram.


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